Los Angeles traffic is notorious for being the worst in the country, forcing several local residents to resort to alternative means of transportation in time-sensitive situations. Such was the case Monday afternoon, when Kobe Bryant took Lakers teammate Steve Blake to a doctor's appointment in his personal helicopter.
Blake suffered an abdominal strain in Sunday night's 103-90 victory over the Kings, causing him to sit out Monday's practice, ESPN notes. According to Sports Illustrated, Kobe stepped in to offer Blake a helicopter ride from the Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo in order to beat traffic on the 405 to make it to an early-afternoon ultrasound in Orange County.
As Fox Sports West points out, Kobe often uses his helicopter to avoid the freeways in traveling from practice or games to his Orange County home.
The ill-timed injury to Blake will force him to skip Tuesday's game against the Spurs, a blow to a Lakers team already depleted at the point guard position. Blake, who had stepped in for the injured Steve Nash, will likely be replaced by second-year backup Darius Morris.
Given the recent whirlwind surrounding the Lakers, who fired head coach Mike Brown and hired replacement Mike D'Antoni within a span of 72 hours, Blake's impromptu helicopter ride seems to be par for the course.
"It's been a zoo," Lakers forward Antawn Jamison told SI. "This is just a typical day in L.A."
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